Visions and Fears
by iloveromance
Summary: A vision of a cafe shooting that comes true just days later leaves Daphne shaken beyond belief... and more frightened than she ever thought possible.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: I'm almost ashamed to say that I got the idea for this story from a tragedy that occurred in Seattle earlier in 2012 in a café. But I hope that I've managed to make this intriguing and touching instead of gloomy. And I apologize for anything disturbing or offensive. For this is meant to be a romance/hurt comfort story. **_

_**In any case, thanks as always for reading and reviewing! **_

_He wore a business suit and a friendly smile._

_To the barista at Café Nervosa, he was just another customer. But as he ordered his drink, she felt a twinge of suspicion. The guy had been in before, but he was never in this good of a mood, making small talk with the customers. _

_She knew she should just see him for what he most likely was, a nice man who had obviously experienced something good in his life. It always made her feel good when others were happy._

_But the feeling didn't last long._

_For no sooner had he reached the door, she began to see the tragedy unfold in slow motion. His hand reached into his pocket and the shiny black gun came into view. Shots were fired and people began to scatter like wildfire in an effort to escape the horror.  
_

_But not everyone was so lucky._

_The beloved Café Nervosa, once a haven for friends, loners and lovers... was now a crime scene. And nothing in Seattle would ever be the same again._


	2. Chapter 2

Daphne bolted upright in bed, her heart racing.

Even when she opened her eyes, the scene repeated itself over and over in her mind.

That horrible, horrible scene in which she'd walked into Café Nervosa and saw him lying there, lifeless...

The paramedics worked diligently, trying to revive him with all their might, only to turn to Daphne, Frasier and Martin to give them the bad news.

It was no use.

He was gone...

Her best friend and confidante gone, in a single flash. And all because of some psycho who walked into the café pretending to be as happy as could be.

The thought that he might have taken pleasure in what he had done made her shudder, and she simply couldn't fathom how someone could do such a thing to someone who was so kind, generous and the sweetest man she'd ever known. He was always complimenting her hair, her perfume and her clothes.. things that she'd taken for granted.

She blinked, allowing the disturbing to fade into reality. But as she looked around her room, a flood of relief came over her, along with an onslaught of tears that fell relentlessly between her fingers and splashed onto her pillow.

She knew it was ridiculous to be crying this way. It was just a ridiculous dream... or nightmare rather.

But it seemed so real.

With a sigh she rose from her bed, knowing that she wouldn't be getting anymore sleep tonight.

She put on her robe and padded into the living room, surprised to find Martin watching television.

"What are you doing up?"

"Oh, well... I wanted to see the replay of the Mariners game." Martin replied. "You would not believe this grand slam that Griffey hit in the bottom of the ninth! Unbelievable!"

"I'm sure it was." Daphne said, trying to sound enthusiastic.

"Want to finish watching the game with me? It's almost the ninth inning now. I'll have to try to contain my excitement though because Frasier will kill me if I yell and wake him up again. Speaking of, I can't believe you didn't hear me before."

Daphne feigned a smile. "Well, it must have been because I was so into me romance novel. You know me... always wanting a bit of romance in me life. Not that it'll ever happen."

To her astonishment, Martin took her hand and squeezed. He'd never shown much affection to her before.

"Aw, come on Daph. It'll happen when you least expect it. You think I was at that homicide scene looking for a wife? Hell no! But it happened just the same!"

She wanted to laugh, but the nightmare was still very much in the back of her mind.

"Thank you, Mr. Crane." She said, feeling a bit awkward when she realized he was still holding her hand.

"No problem. And look, I'm sorry that other guy didn't work out. What was his name?"

"Robert." She said quietly, hating the sound of his name.

Who knew that a handsome man she met in a bookstore was capable of breaking a woman's heart so badly? It made her never want to read another book as long as she lived.

And suddenly the thought pained her even more so than her nightmare had.


	3. Chapter 3

The silence fell between them, leaving only the sound of raindrops that quietly pelted the picture window. Finally she sat down and began watching the game.

"Good thing this was played earlier today and... Oh wait... Here's Griffey coming to the plate. He swings and... UNBELIEVABLE! Four runs with one hit!"

At the outburst, Frasier ran into the room, wearing his beloved designer pajamas.

"Dear God, Dad! Must I be subjected to this nonsense a second time? It's nearly two in the morning! How can you watch that ridiculous baseball match _twice_ in_ one day_? Do you honestly think that the score will change with a second viewing?"

"No, wise guy! Although come to think of it, that's not a bad idea. Boy, the Mariners and Seahawks really know how to blow a lead!"

"Whatever that means." Frasier said.

Martin looked at his son in disgust.

"How can you not know what that means? It means that they're ahead by so many points and then end up losing anyway. Oh geez, I thought by now you and Niles would have learned something about sports."

"Dad, the only thing about sports that I've learned is that I don't care to know anymore about the subject than I already do."

"Well that shouldn't take very long!" Martin snapped.

"Fine, if you want to argue, I'm going to bed!"

"Fine!" Martin yelled.

Alone once more, Daphne stared at the screen watching the Mariners celebrate their victory.

"All right. Well I should probably go to bed. Eddie's waiting for me by the door." Martin said.

"Good night Mr. Crane." Daphne said still focused on the television.

In the doorway, Martin turned to her. "Are you okay, Daphne?"

"I'm fine." She lied.

"Well all right. Oh, wait! I want to catch the first part of the news rerun. I missed the top stories and for some reason our idiot paper carrier didn't deliver our paper today."

He sat down in his chair and began to relax as the opening music for the news began.

"_Good evening. I'm Becky Smith and welcome to Channel 10 News. Our top story tonight..."_

But Daphne was in no mood to hear about the goings on in the Emerald City. All she wanted was to return to the haven of her room and try to forget about the horrible nightmare she'd experienced earlier.

Perhaps it was due to stress.

That's what Frasier would say. And most likely he was right. God knows she hadn't been happy lately and as hard as she tried to forget about Robert and how he'd broken her heart.

But why was she even worrying about it? It definitely wasn't the first time she'd had her heart broken by a man who clearly didn't want her. Just another man in a long string of potential loves who found her unattractive and uninteresting.

Successfully managing to fight back tears, she returned to her bedroom. For she couldn't let Martin to see her crying. It made him uncomfortable anyway, and as he'd told her many times before he had no idea how to comfort a woman.

Right now she didn't know if anyone would be able to comfort her. She was scared and lonely and she felt a huge hole in her heart... a hole that she feared would never be filled.


	4. Chapter 4

Daphne was grateful to Martin for his kindness, for in the years that she'd been his physical therapist he'd become so much more than a client. He'd become a friend and at times (like now) a father figure in so many ways, perhaps even more than her own father.

Martin had his moments when he infuriated her to no end but she couldn't deny that she'd grown to love the old man, along with Frasier and even Eddie. She just didn't tell him often enough how much he meant to her.

Well, there was no time like the present. Frasier may have gone to bed and Eddie was probably hiding under the sofa.

But that was no reason that she couldn't have a heart to heart discussion with Martin. Or at the very least tell him how much she meant to him... no matter how uncomfortable it would make him feel. She loved him.

Brushing the tears from her cheeks, she hurried into the living room to pour her heart out to the man who had given her so much. But when she reached the living room, she paused to smile.

For when she looked over at Martin, She found that he'd fallen asleep in his beloved chair. Feeling a sudden rush of love for him, she covered him with a blanket and turned off the television. He would most likely wake up later and find his way to his bedroom, but for now it was best to let him sleep.

When the living room lights were turned off, she kissed Martin's cheek and looked around the darkness. The moonlight cast a glow across the carpeted floor and she followed its beam to the window.

Peering through the glass she smiled at the beautiful structures that made up downtown Seattle. And overhead the stars twinkled alongside a full moon. She'd give anything to be standing on Frasier's balcony right now, wrapped in the arms of a man who loved her.

Of course given her track record with men, that was never going to happen.

Thank goodness for her romance novels. But reading about couples in passionate embraces and happy endings proved to be too much to handle.

And when she could hold in her tears no longer, she hurried to her room as quietly as possible and closed the door...

Crying into her pillow as though she would never stop.


	5. Chapter 5

The soft rain pelting on the window pane brought her out of her slumber and she slowly opened her eyes. Never in her life had she felt so tired. She'd slept on and off for several hours but her aching body and heavy eyelids told her otherwise.

If she didn't know any better she'd swear that she had the flu. And judging from the looks she received when she padded into the living room wearing her slippers and robe, she wasn't the only one with that opinion.

"You okay, Daph? You look terrible!"

She cringed at Martin's harsh words and almost instantly his expression softened.

"Aw, Daphne you know what I mean!"

"Well don't think that just because I look so dreadful means that you get to skip your exercises old man! I'm not sick by the way!"

"Coulda fooled me!" he grumbled.

"Fooled you about what, Dad?"

"Daphne. She looks sick, doesn't she?"

Frasier walked over to Daphne and placed his hand on her forehead checking for signs of fever. "Well, you are a little warm, Daphne. And your red eyes... You're upset. Are you sure you're all right?"

"I'm fine." The lie came out in a whisper and she could tell right away that neither man believed her.

"Well... As long as you're sure. But if you need anything, I'm listening."

Even the gentle way he said the famous catch prhase didn't make her smile but she hugged him in gratitude. "Thank you, Dr. Crane."

"I know what this is." Martin said suddenly.

Daphne drew out of Frasier's embrace and started at them in disbelief. "H-how could you possibly know about my-."

"It doesn't take a genius to figure it out. You're still upset about that guy-what was his name again?"

"Robert." She said, hating the sound of her ex-boyfriend's name even more than she had last night. "Can we please not talk about him anymore?"

"Sure, no problem." Martin said. "I mean if it bothers you to talk about him then we won't. But I'll tell you one thing... That guy has some nerve treating you the way he did! When you came home that night in tears, I was this close to tearing him limb from-."

"Dad! Dear God she just said she didn't want to talk about it!" Frasier said. "Just eat your breakfast!"

Martin looked down at his plate of food and cringed. "Um, I think I lost my appetite, so I'm just going to sit in my chair and read the paper. Hey, Daphne hand me that remote would ya?"

She rolled her eyes and did as he asked, picking up his plate of barely eaten food to carry it into the kitchen. Later as she washed the dishes she could hear the drone of the television;

_"Breaking news this morning... a deadly shooting has occurred in a popular Seattle café in the heart of downtown. At least five people are dead including one well-known doctor. The café was a favorite of locals and tourists as well as patrons of local businesses. Sources say..."_

Daphne's heart raced and she found it nearly impossible to breathe. Her hand on her chest and her eyes blurred by tears, she ran into the living room making a bee line for Martin's chair.

"Wait! Put it back!" She yelled, just as he changed the station.

"What?"

"Th-the channel! Put it back! Please!"

Martin gave her a shocked look and then glanced at Frasier. "All right but it's nothing but a bunch of depressing news and-."

She grabbed the remote from his hand with more force than she intended but her fingers were trembling so badly that she could barely push the buttons. Finally in annoyance, Martin took the remote from her and changed the station. But the news report was long gone, replaced by a commercial for laundry detergent.

Where is it?" She cried, feeling the tears rise in her throat.

"Where is what?" Martin asked. "The sports are about to come on, do you mind?"

Suddenly a flash came over her and she closed her eyes. A vision filled her mind; the same one as before, only this time much more vivid.

It could only mean one thing...


	6. Chapter 6

Her hand flew to her trembling mouth and she gasped, trying desperately to suppress a sob. Martin could only stare at her in confusion. "Daph, are you all right?"

"Bloody hell, how can you ask me that?" She yelled as the tears streamed down her cheeks.

"What are you talking about?" Martin asked.

"How can you be so calm?" She screamed; her body trembling. "Why aren't you on the phone with the police? You used to work for them? Doesn't that mean anything to you? People are in danger! And Ni... Why are you just sitting there?"

She was shaking uncontrollably now, prompting Martin to rise from his chair as quickly as possible. He tried to calm her but she was still sobbing and could barely feel his arms around her, let alone stand comfortably.

Suddenly she felt incredibly weak. Her knees gave way and Martin caught her just before she fell.

"Fras! Help me with her!" Martin yelled.

Frasier returned to the room in an instant, grabbing Daphne in an attempt to hold her up.

"Daphne, Daphne! What is it?"

"Oh God..." She cried, clinging to him. "Please! No!"

He sighed helplessly. "Dad, what's gotten into her?"

"Beats the hell out of me!" Martin said. "She went nuts over the television! Damndest thing I've ever seen!"

Slowly Frasier guided Daphne to the sofa, coaxing her to sit down. "Dad, could you stay here for a second? I'll be right back."

"Sure Fras."

Awkwardly Martin stared at Daphne, his hand patting her back despite the huge sobs that were racking her body. "Hurry up, Fras!" He yelled, seconds before Frasier returned carrying a tray with a pot of tea.

As quickly as possible Frasier poured the tea into a cup and handed it to her. "Here, Daphne. Drink this and you'll feel better. You seem to be having some sort of anxiety attack!"

But she adamantly shook her head.

Frasier took a hold of her hand and looked at his watch. "Oh Lord, I'm supposed to meet Niles at Café Nervosa for our 10:30 coffee. I'd better call him and tell him that I'll be a little late."

"NO!" Daphne yelled when Frasier reached for the phone. But he simply smiled and hugged her. "It's all right, Daphne. I'm just going to call Niles. I'm not leaving until I'm sure you're okay."

"Fras, do you think we should take her to a doctor?" Martin asked. "I don't like this."

"I don't like it either Dad, but maybe we should figure out what's going on before we make any hasty decisions. We don't want to upset her any more than she already is."

"Well, first we'd better get Niles on the phone." Martin said. "But I'm not telling him about Daphne. It'll just upset him and one upset person in this family at a time is about all I can take! Now, what do you want me to say to him?"

"Just... Tell him that I'm running late." Frasier said.

"Okay."

Martin picked up the phone and began to dial Niles' number. As Daphne stared at him, the wait for Niles to answer was almost completely unbearable. And her deepest fears were confirmed when she saw Martin return the phone to the base.

_Oh God... No..._

"Well, Dad?"

"No answer; didn't even go to voice mail." Martin shrugged, clearly unfazed by what was happening.

Her chest hurting more than she thought possible, Daphne sank further into the sofa, bursting into tears once more.


	7. Chapter 7

Frasier sighed as he sat down beside Daphne and took her into his arms, looking helplessly at Martin.

"What in the hell is going on?" Martin asked again.

"I wish I knew Dad, but whatever it is, it certainly came on suddenly. You don't suppose she had one of her..."

"What?"

Frasier shook his head. "Never mind. It's too ridiculous to even say the word. But Daphne seems to have calmed down some. It's already 10:25 and since you can't reach Niles, I guess I'll have to go down to Café Nervosa and wait for him."

But the second he rose from the sofa, Daphne grabbed his arm.

"No, Dr. Crane! You can't!"

"Daphne-."

"Please Dr. Crane! I'm begging you! Don't go to Café Nervosa! It's too dangerous!"

"For my wallet, perhaps." He said with a chuckle. But his smile disappeared when he saw the appalled looks of Daphne and Martin. "Okay, I'm sorry about that. A little coffee shop humor. But Daphne you need to calm down! Please tell me what this is about? I don't know what's gotten into you, but it's not healthy! Now why don't you want me to go to the café?"

"B-because-."

The doorbell rang, bringing them all to silence as they glanced at one another.

Her heart beat so rapidly that she was sure she might faint. But she'd caused enough trouble for one day.

Slowly she rose from the sofa, ignoring the dizziness that overtook her. But luckily Martin and Frasier caught her yet again before she fell.

"Daphne, just sit down!" Martin ordered. "Fras, get the door, would ya?"

Daphne forced herself to breathe deeply and closed her eyes as she heard Frasier opening the door.

"Well, what a coincidence!" He said cheerfully. Talk about uncanny timing!"

"Hello, Frasier."

That voice...

In one fluid motion, Daphne rose from the sofa and turned toward the door. And suddenly her world was turned upside down.


	8. Chapter 8

"What brings you here?" Frasier was asking.

"Well, I was just pulling my car out of the parking lot of my building when I heard some rather unsettling news on the radio. It seems that-."

He stopped suddenly when he caught a glimpse of Daphne sobbing into her hands.

"Daphne? Dear God what's happened?"

"Oh Niles!" Daphne cried, rushing over to him. Before he could even react, she engulfed him in her arms and kissed him with more passion than she'd ever kissed anyone. And even when she felt that she needed to take a breath, she resisted, for she couldn't bear to lose sight of him ever again.

She could feel his unsteady breathing, his rapid heartbeat and the gentle way he was holding her. But it was his stunned expression that tore at her heart. He truly had no idea what she'd been through.

"Don't leave me, please." She cried as the tears slid down her cheeks.

"Daphne, I would never-."

But his words were silenced by her lips on his. She took his face into her hands, staring at him through tear-filled eyes before kissing him once more.

"Will someone please tell me what in the hell is going on here?" Martin asked.

"I'm sure someone will, in time." Frasier said. "I'm quite confused about this as well, but I think Daphne will be okay now. Under normal circumstances I would discourage such a suggestion Niles because as you know, you haven't exactly kept your feelings for Daphne a secret and-."

"Frasier!" Niles hissed.

"But it's clear that he may be the only one to resolve this-whatever it is. We'll do coffee some other time, Niles. But in the meantime... Dad, would you like to come to Nervosa with me?"

At the suggestion, Daphne pulled out of Niles' arms. "No please! Go to McGinty's or somewhere. Anywhere else!"

Niles sighed. "Actually that might be a good idea. You see, that's precisely why I came over. It seems that there was a horrific shooting at one of the cafés in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, and although it's nowhere near Café Nervosa, I called them to make sure that everything was all right. Turns out that they are closed for the day as a precaution. Such a terrible thing to have happen in such a well-respected city! Innocent people just enjoying a cup of coffee or a latte with a friend, relative or loved one only to have their lives end so tragically.

Frasier sank onto the sofa. "Dear God... So that's what this was all about."

"I still don't get it." Martin said.

"As much as I hate to admit this, I think Daphne might have had a psychic vision about the shooting. That's why she doesn't want us to go the café."

Niles looked at her with concern. "Daphne?"

She sighed deeply, feeling incredibly naïve and she sank into Martin's chair ignoring his look of dismay and the way Frasier was staring at her.

"Oh God... me head is splitting." She groaned.

"I'll be right back, my angel."

Niles' words weren't lost on her, although she was quite certain that he was unaware that he'd just called her an angel. Or perhaps it was the way her mind was turning in circles or the pounding of her head.

"Here you are, Daphne." Niles said, holding a glass of water and some aspirin, which she took willingly.

"Dad and I will be heading to McGinty's." Frasier said.

"Yeah and I'll call the police and see if they need any help catching this psycho." Martin added. "Damn shame when something like this happens in your own backyard. I guess I should have paid more attention to the news this morning instead of worrying about how badly the Mariners lost last night. I'm sorry Daphne. If I'd had k known-."

She nodded and began to cry again as Martin hugged her tentatively.

Frasier walked over to Niles and put a hand on his shoulder. "I should thank you for coming over like this. I had no idea-."

"It's okay, Frasier. I'm just glad you hadn't left yet." Niles said. He turned to Daphne and touched her cheek. "Are you going to be all right?"

"I-I think so." She said rubbing her aching forehead.

"Then I suppose I should get going. No doubt my patient load will increase because of this senseless tragedy. I have to admit that I'm rather shaken by the experience as well. Thank God I wasn't there. But I really should be going."

At this Daphne's tears increased and she grabbed his hand. "No Niles, please! Don't leave me! I need you!"

Niles looked helplessly at his father and brother. "What do I do? You know I'd do anything for her and I can't just leave her in this state! She's traumatized by this and it wouldn't feel right-."

"I can't believe I'm saying this but Niles, would you mind if Daphne stayed with you tonight? I know this goes completely against my better judgment and I may regret saying this but I really think this is the best thing. So will you take care of her, Niles?"

"You know I will, Frasier. I love-."

"Fras, I don't think this is a good idea."

"Dad, I promise I won't let anything happen to her." Niles said. "You can trust me. Everything will be fine."

Martin looked worriedly at his sons. "Well... All right. And Daphne doesn't worry. I'll get the jackass that did this, you can count on that."

Daphne hugged Martin tightly. "I'm so sorry I yelled at you, and treated you so horribly Mr. Crane. I love you."

She could almost feel Martin blushing at the sentiment as she hugged him a bit tighter.

"We feel the same about you, Daphne." Martin replied. "Now why don't you get your things packed and go with Niles? You'll be safe with him."

"A-all right."

Wordlessly she retreated into her room and began gathering her clothes; a comfortable nightshirt, some essentials and an outfit for the next day. And she couldn't ignore the nervousness that came over her as her heart began to race once more. She continued to pack, her hands trembling as she picked up her overnight bag and returned to the living room.

"Here, let me help you with that." Niles said, gently taking the bag from her hand. But the mere sight of him caused the tears to return yet again and he sat the bag down, taking her into his arms.

"Oh Daphne... It's all right now. Everything will be all right."

She cried into his chest while he stroked her back, clinging to him with everything she had.

"Are you sure we shouldn't take her to a hospital?" Martin asked. "I've never seen her like this!"

Niles held her closer. "I'll take good care of her, Dad. And I promise if anything happens I'll take her to a doctor."

"Thank you, Niles." Frasier said. "And Daphne? I'm sorry for speaking so harshly to you." Frasier said.

"I'm sorry too. I love you, Dr. Crane." Daphne said as Frasier hugged her and kissed her cheek. "We'll see you tomorrow. Now, try to get some rest while you're at Niles' place."

"All right."

With Niles' arm firmly around her shoulder, Daphne leaned against him as he led her out of the condo.

**A/N TBC**


	9. Chapter 9

Daphne couldn't help holding onto Niles' hand as he led her into his apartment.

"Here we are. Just make yourself at home."

"Thank you, Dr. Crane." She made her way to the sofa and sat down. "This is so kind of you, letting me stay over like this but it's not necessary to go to all of this trouble."

"It's no trouble at all, Daphne." Niles replied, his voice a bit unsteady. "Would you like something to eat? I'd be happy to-."

Unexpectedly, Daphne burst into tears. "I-I'm sorry."

He was at her side in an instant, his arm around her shoulders. "Daphne, please don't apologize. This isn't your fault. But I think we should talk about... what happened at Frasier's."

Daphne sniffled and nodded tearfully. "I know."

"But only when you're ready." He assured her. "You've had an upsetting and frightening experience. I-I didn't expect to find you at Frasier's so distraught. Nor did I expect you to... kiss me."

She turned to him feeling quite guilty and took his hand in hers. "I'm so sorry, Dr. Crane. I never meant-."

"I'm not." He said without hesitation. And to her amazement he blushed deeply, brushing the hair from her forehead. "Although I admit I was... surprised. N-no one's ever kissed me that way before... Not even Maris."

She wanted to respond, to apologize again, but when she opened her mouth to speak, another sob escaped and she found herself in his arms. He held her close, stroking her back while she unleashed the fear and worry that had built up inside of her. And when she was calm, she slowly drew back, smiling sadly.

"You're right. We should talk about this. I can't keep this inside. I'll drive meself crazy! I already-."

She gasped lightly when she felt him brush the tears from her cheek with his fingertips.

"Dr. Crane..."

"Daphne, what happened? I don't want to pry, but I care about you."

She sighed deeply. "I care about you too, Dr. Crane."

At the compliment, he smiled and waited patiently for her to continue. She did so with a deep sigh.

"All right. I'll tell you. It started last night. I-I had this... This horrible nightmare of something happening in Café Nervosa! A-A man with a gun! A-And you were..."

Her chest hurt so badly from the memory that she could hardly breathe. And surprisingly his gentle hand on her back did little to soothe her. But she forced herself to calm down and breathe deeply, the way she'd often persuaded Mr. Crane to do when he got upset.

"A-and this morning I went to make breakfast and I saw the story on the news but I didn't hear any of the details because your father changed the station too quickly. I'm afraid I was rather harsh. I know I apologized, but I am sorry Niles! I would never-."

"It's all right. Go on." He said softly.

"And then your father tried to call you on your cell phone but he said he couldn't get through."

Another sob escaped but she forced herself to go on. "And then I had this horrible vision-just like the nightmare I had and I thought-."

"Dear God... You thought the shooting was at Café Nervosa and that I was one of the victims."

She nodded, sobbing into her hands.

"Yes..."

"Daphne, Sweetheart..."

"I'm so sorry, N-Niles... but I was so scared! I-I don't want to lose you!" She sobbed even harder, the sadness racking her body. She was drawn into his arms once more and was so close to him that she could feel the rhythm of their hearts. He rubbed her back, whispering soothing words that warmed her soul.

"Dear God, you must have been terrified." He said. "I can't even imagine... And my phone... I'm not sure why Dad couldn't get though but my cell phone service has been sketchy lately. It's high time I changed providers! To think that I caused you such distress!"

She raised her head, suddenly aware of where this conversation was headed. "No Dr. Crane. This isn't your fault! Please don't blame yourself!"

"But if I had been at Frasier's-."

"No, don't do this to yourself! It was my fault! Mine and my silly visions! I should have known they weren't true but it felt so real!"

He held her close kissing her cheek and softly inhaling the scent of her hair.

"I know... and you can't imagine how touched I am that you were so worried about me. If anything had happened to you, Daphne-I'd be devastated! I-I don't know if I could go on."

At the quivering in his voice, her heart beat faster and she kissed him the way she had at Frasier's-without reserve and with everything she had. And she realized that what she was feeling was all too real. Her worry was not only worry about her friend but about the man she loved deeply. And when the kiss ended, she smiled at his boyish expression.

"I'm not going anywhere." She said reassuringly as she kissed him once more. She touched his cheek and sighed, staring at him for a long moment before he shyly looked away. "I-I forgot to make you something to eat. You must be famished."

"A-actually I'm rather tired. If you don't mind I'll just go take me bath and change into me pajamas. Thank you for letting me use your guestroom, Ni-Dr. Crane. You're so wonderful and I don't deserve someone like you." She pressed her lips to his cheek, sighing at the smoothness of his skin.

But she'd barely moved away when she heard her name.

"Daphne?"

"Yes, Dr. Crane?"

He smiled nervously. "Use the master bathroom. It's much more spacious and you can sleep in my room. I-in my bed."

"Where will you sleep?"

"I'll take the guest room down here."

The thought of being so far away from him made her apprehensive but she couldn't let it show. She'd upset them enough. The fact that he blamed himself for her fears made her heart ache.

"No... It wouldn't be right. This is your home and I'm just a guest!"

He took her hand and kissed it. "Daphne, you're not _just _anything. You're truly wonderful and the kindness, most generous person I've ever had the pleasure of knowing."

"Niles..."

"I-I mean it, Daphne. You're an absolute angel. Without you the world would be-well, honestly I don't even want to imagine a world without you."

Unable to stop herself she ignored the tears in her eyes and took him into her arms kissing him deeply. And when she drew back, she found that she missed the warmth of his lips on hers.

"Daphne..."

She kissed him again. "Those are the most beautiful words I've ever heard."

He nervously ran his hand through his hair. "W-well I meant them."

"I love you." She whispered. "I'm going to take me bath now. I assume everything is ready in the master bathroom. It's so thoughtful of you to let me use it."

He simply stared at her, dumbfounded and most likely unable to believe that she'd just told him that she loved him. And she wouldn't have believed it either, were it not for the fact that she felt it in her heart.

But she couldn't deny what she was feeling; pure, unadulterated love.

**TBC**


	10. Chapter 10

Soaking in Niles' enormous tub amid his spacious master bathroom and suite was a bit like staying in a luxury hotel. Not that Daphne had ever actually stayed in one, but if it felt anything like this, it couldn't be anything less than heavenly. She had to admit that she felt like an intruder, inviting herself over. But she knew that Niles would adamantly disagree and in all honesty she couldn't bear the thought of being without him. Just knowing he was in the same home made her feel safe.

She sighed deeply, for the whole thing was completely silly. All the time she'd spent tossing and turning, worried that something terrible had happened to him. It was just one of her psychic visions and she thanked God that this one had been just that... a vision. She couldn't bear to think about how she would have felt had it come true.

And once more her eyes filled with tears.

She tried to will them away, but the effort was useless. Once she got a crazy idea in her head, it stayed there, haunting her like a bad nightmare. Her chest began to ache and she could no longer stay calm.

"Oh Niles.."

Her eyes were blurred with hot, relentless tears that simply refused to go away. Damn... everything was fine now. She knew that. But somehow...

"Daphne?"

She gasped at the unexpected sound of Niles' voice and she began to panic. As quickly as possible she climbed out of the tub, sloshing water on the floor. She grabbed the nearest bath towel and dried herself off before wrapping herself in a towel. And when she looked into his large mirror she cringed. She looked positively dreadful.

Her hair was a mess and her face... Her eyes were red and puffy, which sadly complimented her tear-streaked cheeks. For the hundredth time she found herself wondering what he could have possibly seen in her.

"Daphne?"

She dried her eyes and went to the door, her heart warming when she found him gazing at her with concern.

"Dr. Crane..."

"You... You've been up here for a long time."

Feeling as though she'd worn out her welcome, she turned away.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. I was just-."

"Oh, it's all right. I'm sorry if I upset you. Stay as long as you like. I was just worried."

Tears trickled down her cheek and she leaned in to kiss his sweet lips.

"Thank you, Niles."

Once more his breathing became unsteady and she couldn't help but smile at his boyishness. But her smile was met with a look of worry.

"Daphne, what's wrong?"

His fingertips lightly moved across her cheek, brushing the tears away.

"What is it?" He whispered.

She sighed deeply. "I was just thinking..."

"About what?"

"My ridiculous vision. I know it was all in my head, but what if it had come true, Niles? What if-."

He drew her into his arms, not caring that she was wearing only a towel. His fingers lightly massaged the nape of her neck and her bare shoulders, relaxing her almost instantly.

"I'm sorry.."

He held her closer and she realized how much she'd come to hate hearing herself say those words. They made her feel so weak.

He said nothing but continued to hold her, right there in the doorway between the hallway and the bathroom. Finally she drew back slowly and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you." She whispered.

"You're welcome, Daphne. I'm sorry I disturbed you. I'll let you get dressed. If you're hungry, I will gladly-."

"You're so sweet, but actually I'm too tired to think about eating right now. I haven't gotten much sleep in the past few nights."

He brushed the hair from her face. "Then you should rest. Feel free to take my room. It will be more comfortable."

"Oh but-."

"Please. I insist. The guest room will be fine for me."

Before she could thank him further, he was gone.


	11. Chapter 11

When she was dressed in her pajamas, Daphne looked around the master bedroom in awe. It certainly was beautiful... and spacious. But it was the bed that caught her attention. It looked so... inviting. And she was so tired.

Wearily she crossed the room and climbed into bed, her eyes closing almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.

Her dreams, when they came were filled with images of the man she loved. He was holding her in his arms, kissing her neck, her cheek and finally her lips. It was the most wonderful feeling in the world.

But then things began to change.

_She was standing in Café Nervosa waiting for Niles. As she looked at her watch for the third time, worry crept into her chest. It wasn't like him to be this late. She tried to fight the feeling but the more she fought the more she was faced with the uncertainty. No longer able to take the suspense, she walked outside, completely unaware of the man dressed head to toe in black. _

_She looked around for any sign of Niles but he was nowhere to be found. Perhaps she should call him. Her fingers trembled as she dialed the number. It rang only once when the deafening sound of gunfire broke her concentration. And then came a series of blood-curdling screams and cries for help. _

_She turned to find hundreds of people fleeing the café, each with the same terrified expression. Stunned by the turn of events, she rushed into the café, almost fainting from what she found. _

_Bodies lay strewn across the floor. They were everywhere, like a scene out of a horror movie, and those who remained standing were sobbing uncontrollably, seeking comfort from one another. _

"_Wh-what happened?" She dared to ask. _

_Taylor, her friend and longtime Café Nervosa barista began to sob as she hugged Daphne tightly. _

_"Oh Daphne, I'm so sorry! I know how much you loved him! And he loved you! So much!"  
_

_"Well of course I love Niles but why are you talking about him as if-."  
"B-because he... Oh God!"_

_Daphne's insides grew cold with terror. "Taylor, what is it? Has something happened to Niles?"  
_

_"I-I'm so sorry, Daphne. He's gone!"  
_

_"Gone? But that's ridiculous! Niles isn't gone! I've been waiting for him forever! Right over there at that table! I only went outside to-."  
_

_Her eyes moved across the café and she let out a terrifying scream. _

"_No! Niles! Please! Don't leave me! I love you, Niles!" _

_Staring at the lifeless body of the man she loved, she dropped to her knees and held him. Daphne cried relentlessly, huge sobs racking her body and she was trembling uncontrollably. She rocked him back and forth, not caring that he couldn't feel her arms around him. _

_Her chest hurt with the worst pain imaginable. Never in her life did she ever think anything could hurt this much. It was completely unbearable. _

"_Niles! Oh God, please! Come back to me! Please!" _

"Daphne, Daphne! It's okay. You're safe! I'm here!"

She was only vaguely aware of the strong arms that held her, the soft lips that kissed her hair and her tear dampened cheeks.

"It's all right. I'm here." He whispered, holding her closer. It was as though he was right there with her.

_If only..._

When his lips reached her mouth, she turned and opened her eyes, gasping at the sight. It was no longer a dream or a horrible vision. For Niles was really there.

He wiped away her tears and kissed her deeply.

"I'm here my sweet angel. Please don't cry. I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying right here with you."

"Niles, I was so scared! I thought-."

He drew her into his arms and held her close, rocking her back and forth, the way she had done in her subconscious just moments ago. "It's all right. I'm here. I've got you."

She clung to him with everything she had. "I love you, Niles. Please don't leave me."

"I won't. I swear it, Daphne."

"I want to stay right here with you. Please..."

"Of course you can. You're welcome to stay here as long as you like. And when you're ready, I'll take you back to Frasier's. I'm sure he and Dad will understand. And if they don't-."

But she shook her head violently. "No!"

"Don't worry about Dad or Frasier. If they're angry, I'll explain everything to them."

"I don't want to go back to your brother's!" Daphne cried. "I can't, Niles! I-."

"Daphne, he won't fire you, I promise. This isn't your fault! If he's angry, I'll-."  
"It's not that! It's just-."

"What?"

"I-I can't bear the thought of being without you!I get so scared, thinking of being without you for even one minute! I need you Niles... so much."

Amazingly he smiled, although he was clearly trying his best to calm her.

"Daphne, that's... the most wonderful thing you have ever said to me. I-I know that's selfish and I'm sorry but you have no idea how long I've dreamed of hearing those words; hearing you say my name and most of all hearing you say that you love me. I'll do anything for you, Daphne; anything at all. Just name it."

She caressed his cheek with her hand. "I want to live here... with you."

His smile disappeared and he stared at her in disbelief.

"Y-you what?"

Her tears began anew and she turned away from him. "I-I'm sorry. I know it's wrong. We aren't really even a couple and if I hadn't had these silly visions. Perhaps you're right. I'm being silly about this whole thing. I should just go back to your brother's. It's where I belong anyway."

"I'd be honored to have you in my home, Daphne. I love you with all my heart and soul. And you're right. Technically we haven't even begun dating but the fact that you trust me enough to want to share your life with me-even if it's only being in the same living space-and the fact that you were so worried about me... you have no idea how much that means to me. It means the world. I promise I will take care of you to the best of my ability. And in time, Frasier and Dad will see that this is the best thing for everyone. But this is your decision. If you ever decide-."

She kissed him deeply. "Never... I don't want to think about being without you. Not now..."

"All right, my love. We don't have to discuss the details just yet. You look exhausted so I'll let you sleep. Goodnight, my sweet angel."

"You look a bit tired yourself." She said, unable to resist grinning at him. It took him only a fraction of a second to catch on.

"You know, it has been a long day. I'll be right back."

True to his word, he disappeared into the master bathroom, returning minutes later. He climbed into bed with her, and she sighed at his fresh clean scent, amazed at how it comforted her.

And then, in the warmth of his arms, she drifted off to sleep where her dreams were no longer nightmares but visions of the wonderful life she would share with her best friend; the man she loved so deeply;

Niles Crane.

**THE END**


End file.
